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Deadpool's Ed Skrein Joins Roland Emmerich's WWII Movie Midway

Deadpoolactor Ed Skrein has been cast in Roland Emmerich's upcoming World War II epic, Midway. The upcoming film will tell the true story of the Battle of Midway, a major naval battle between the United States and Japan in WWII, which took place June 4-7 in 1942.

The story, which is based on a script by Wes Tooke, will focus on the United States soldiers and aviators who fought to turn the tide of the war in the Pacific Theater, in one of the earliest battles for the U.S. in WWII. Emmerich, who is known for directing films with epic scales such as Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, will also produce the film alongside Mark Gordon, known for his work producing Saving Private Ryan, and Harald Kloser. While details of the film are still sparse as it's still in pre-production, Emmerich's cast announcements thus far have been a major source of interest for the movie.

Variety reports that Ed Skrein has been cast in an unknown role. He joins an impressive cast consisting of Luke Evans, Woody Harrelson, Mandy Moore, and Patrick Wilson. Skrein is most well-known for playing the villainous Ajax in Deadpool, but he has also had roles in Frank Martin Jr. in The Transporter Refueled and HBO's Game of Thrones.

Skrein's varied roles demonstrate his ability to adapt to an array of backdrops in film. Plus, with his presence in three major film franchises being major sources of recognition for the actor, this casting choice could draw more attention to the historical epic from some unlikely places. However, details about Skrein's role are yet to be revealed, and those will surely affect whether or not the actor's presence will be a drawing point for fans of the other franchises.

As far as what will determine success for Emmerich's film, Midway proves difficult to predict. Emmerich often embraces huge blockbuster films with an eye on grandiosity and spectacle that leaves some lack of substance in the areas of story and character elements. By delving into a major battle sequence in the historical context of World War II, it will be interesting to see where Emmerich's film stands up next to other modern movies that have tackled similar subject matter - especially Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, which focused less on CGI and more on practical effects in filming and Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge. Regardless, the director seems to be setting his project up well in the area of casting with the announcement of Skrein.